Innovative technologies like Progressive Knee Subtractive Compression, mid-filter crossover limiting, dynamic equalization and ADE™ restoration of leading-edge information in noise gates have elevated BSS Audio to almost cult status among live sound and recording engineers.
CobraNet
London Achitect
Overview
Long before networked digital audio, BSS Audio™ gained its reputation for elegant-sounding signal processing and crossovers. Innovative technologies like Progressive Knee Subtractive Compression, mid-filter crossover limiting, dynamic equalization and ADE™ restoration of leading-edge information in noise gates have elevated BSS Audio to almost cult status among live sound and recording engineers.
We’ve leveraged this analog audio expertise into what many believe are the best-sounding digital signal processing algorithms available. Beginning with Soundweb™ Original…and now with the Soundweb™ London family of networked digital signal processing systems, we’ve brought the same warmth and clarity to a vast palette of DSP modules. All are deployed within an intuitive, easy-to-use design and maintenance interface called HiQnet™ London Architect™.
So you’re not just getting, for example a generic compressor module; you’re getting digital processing closely based on the acclaimed sound of our DPR-402. From automixers to graphic and parametric EQs, from duckers to delays, you can hear the BSS Audio difference. Bottom line: we’re a highly-regarded crossover and analog signal processing company who started making digital signal processing devices, not a DSP company who ventured into the complex world of high-end professional audio.
Built on the foundations of an industry standard
Our Soundweb™ Original series sent ripples through the sound contracting world. The first largescale system to offer a distributed, programmable DSP system with robust capabilities and simple controls on a single Cat 5 cable, it has inspired a host of imitators. Yet there are key areas where the original Soundweb philosophy still stands above the rest:
• Easy creation of virtually any audio system design with a free-design programmable DSP system that places no restrictions on signal path, sub-mixing or object location
• The ability to change how your audio system behaves according to the type of event you are holding, just with the recall of a preset
• Easy and quick addition of more signal processing within the system without increasing your hardware budget
• Fast implementation of specification changes during or post-design
• The appropriate level of end-user control without providing overly complex interfaces
The same philosophy is at the heart of Soundweb™ London. Moreover, the experience with, and suggestions from thousands of clients have enabled BSS Audio to enhance Soundweb London’s power and flexibility to unprecedented levels including:
• Pristine audio quality, with advanced A/D and D/A conversion, together with 96kHz-capable audio processing and networking
• Simple, easy-to-learn drag-and-drop system design, now even more powerful with named CobraNet™ bundle assignment, signal path navigation and scalable DSP objects
• Ethernet based control over Cat 5 cable, with network audio via CobraNet™ with redundant capability
• An extensive range of control options to offer clients simple or sophisticated control interfaces
• Easy expansion or reconfiguration of system hardware in the field
With years of experience to count on, Soundweb London represents
your wisest choice when investing in programmable DSP technology.
The system approach fully realized
No one else can offer our level of integration. Because only Soundweb London is the backbone of a completely unified system solution with microphones, consoles, amplifiers and loudspeakers from sister Harman Pro companies AKG Acoustics®, Soundcraft®, Crown Audio® and JBL Professional® , as well as dbx Professional Products® and BSS Audio™ signal processing devices. Harman Pro is in the unique position to be able to provide components for the entire signal path and through the use of HiQnet™, the Harman Pro Communications Protocol, integration of these components has never been easier. System integrators will be familiar with having to waste expensive engineering time translating different protocols, so that products using disparate languages will communicate. Imagine how much easier it is when all of your system elements “speak” the same language. Via HiQnet™ London Architect™ software, you can also add integrated monitoring of Crown Audio PIP-LITE, USP3 and USP3/CN Programmable Input Processor (‘PIP’) modules, as used in the CTs series of amplifiers. You can also configure BSS Audio FDS-334T and FDS-336T Minidrive processors and the industry standard FDS-366T OMNIDRIVE COMPACT plus system. One control application can monitor amplifier performance, speaker conditions, log events and report errors back to the operator.
Easy to Design
System design should be drag-and-drop easy. Our Soundweb™ Original software application, Soundweb™ Designer took system design and control to an unprecedented level. Now HiQnet™ London Architect™ brings even more power to your design creativity. You enjoy total flexibility of signal path flow and connectivity, a massive range of processing objects modeled on classic BSS Audio processors, and the freedom to design the system exactly how you want it.
HiQnet™ London Architect™ uses the familiar drag-and-drop design interface that Soundweb users will know well, but has been dramatically enhanced to provide a more powerful, flexible and user-oriented interface:
• dockable tool menus
• creation of zones
• layout scrolling, zooming and minimap windows
• new innovative processing objects such as scalable mixers that make design and object selection easier than ever
• new control panels with vast galleries of controls
• highly informative docking windows • the ability to copy control values across objects
— these are just a few of the ways in which we’ve made HiQnet London Architect the most powerful design software in its class.
Create custom control panels
One of the advantages inherited from Soundweb™ Designer has been made even easier. Simple mouse clicks create control panels and pages and add “unbound” elements such as meters and faders that can then be tied to distinct processing objects. Not forgotten is the “traditional” method of creating panels by dragging controls directly onto these custom panels. Pages can also be nested within panels, increasing their versatility, offering neater layout of controls and taking the concept to an unprecedented level.
Proven DSP processing objects
All the familiar Soundweb™ Original processing objects are included; many modeled on the classic and respected BSS Audio analog processors. The platform has also been designed to enable future software releases to include new leading edge DSP functions.
Easy to Install
Each Soundweb London processor is totally self-contained, so devices can be installed locally to their amplifier racks rather than in one centralized location. Category 5 cable is used to interconnect system devices and Ethernet hardware, with network hops of 300 feet (100 meters) possible.
BLU-80 Networked Signal Processor with CobraNet™
The mainstay of the Soundweb London processing system is the BLU-80. Whether your system requires more inputs than outputs, or more outputs than inputs, Soundweb London can be configured for the optimum performance within the client’s budget requirements. The BLU-80 input/output cards may also be reconfigured for even more cost-effective system design. The LED indicator on the front panel provides quickly understandable signal states, whether they apply to input or output cards. Field upgrades are therefore very simple and easy to implement.
BLU-32 CobraNet™ I/O Expander
Systems can now be customized for differing ratios of inputs and outputs without incurring the cost of DSP devices. Where simple I/O expansion is required, specify the BLU-32. It offers identical I/O configurability to the BLU-80, but omits configurable audio processing, allowing inputs and outputs to be routed to and from the audio network.
BLU-16 Signal Processor
Systems needing multiple channels of audio processing without network audio transport can be configured and controlled from one location using Soundweb London BLU-16 processors. The BLU-16 can also be mixed in systems with BLU- 80s and BLU-32s any time additional processing channels are needed.